FARMERS’ UNION

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20064, 22 March 1935, Page 6

FARMERS’ UNION

PLEASANT POINT BRANCH MONTHLY MEETING A meeting of the Pleasant Point Branch of the Farmers’ Union was held in the Library room on Wednesday evening, when Mr Ley presided over a good attendance of members. Before proceeding to the business of tl-? evening, the president asked members to join in a motion of sympathy with Mr R. E. Mcllwrick in his recent bereavement. The motion was carried in silence. Shooting Competitions The president explained to members that the executive had left the arrangements regarding the entry of a team of riflemen from South Canterbury for the annual Farmers’ Union shooting match to the Pleasant Point Branch, and he asked the secretary to read the correspondence in connection with the matter. The teams were to consist of five members, and the ranges would be 300, 500 and 600 yards, the match to be fired on March 30, and the scores forwarded to the Dominion secretary in Wellington. It was the opinion of members that sufficient riflemen were available in the branch to make up a team, and the secretary was instructed to enter a team accordingly and make arrangements with the president of the Timaru Rifle Association for the use of the butts for Saturday. March 30. Mr R. E. Mcllwrick undertook to get the team together.

Pig Marketing Association The secretary (Mr D. Crosbie) intimated that Mr N. W. Hastings, organiser for the New Zealand Co-operative Pig Marketing Association, would shortly be visiting South Canterbury, and that he had with him a most interesting film dealing with the raising and marketing of pigs. On the motion of Mr R. C. Kingston, seconded by Mr C. W. Chapman, it was agreed to invite Mr Hastings to address an open meeting in Pleasant Point, and that arrangements regarding a suitable date be left to the secretary. Small Birds The president gave a brief report of the discussion at the last executive meeting regarding the damage done to crops by small birds, and expressed the opinion that poisoning should take place in the winter when feed was scarce. He would like to see all County Councils act in unison regarding the destruction of the birds. Mr R. . Cleland: If County Counc A accede to the requests of wheatgrowers to buy birds eggs and heads, would it not be right for sheepowners to ask County Councils to buy rabbit tails?

Mr Crosbie expressed the opinion t: -.t the damage done by small birds was considerably exaggerated in the minds of farmers, and he instanced the case of one well-known farmer who had told him that the birds had absolutely ruined his crop. Nevertheless this farmer threshed an average of 54 bushels an acre over 45 acres, notwithstanding the ravages of the birds. He reminded members that one month in the year sparrows ate and destroyed grain, and that for the other eleven months they continued to live on other sources of food supply, which would be to the benefit of the farmer through the destruction of noxious insect pests. Mr Mcllwrick said he thought that something should be done to keep the small birds in check, and moved that County Councils throughout South Canterbury be asked to supply poisoned grain in the winter at a cheap rate for the pprpose of destroying small birds.

In seconding the motion, Mr R. Henderson said that although he believed sparrows did a considerable amount of damage during the grain season, the fact must not be overlooked that their control of grubs and caterpillars was very much to the advantage of the farmer. The motion was carried. Mixed Sex Lambs Mr Mcllwrick drew attention to what appeared to be an unfair position arising at the saleyards. When lots of mixed sex lambs were put up for auction there was a decided minority of ewe lambs in the lot. If there were a very low percentage of ewe lambs, the farmer had no redress unless he examined all of the lambs offered, as the lambs were certainly as described by the auctioneer. The lambs were usually properly described, but the proportion called for some alteration, and he moved that when lots of mixed sex lambs are put up for auction, at least 40 per cent, should be ewe lambs. Mr Ley seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. Farmers’ Union in Victoria Mr Ley, in introducing Mr G. B. Hewitt to the members, said that Mr Hewitt had had considerable experience of organising for the Farmers’ Union in Victoria, and had been a Parliamentary Secretary to the Conservative Party in the Old Country foi* a number of years previous to going to Australia. Mr Hewitt in a short address outlined the commencement of the Union in Victoria, and how it had grown to a political organisation with its own members in the Legislature, eventually gaining the balance of power in the Victorian Parliament. He gave many amusing instances of his experiences while organising, and concluded by urging the branch to consider the development of the social side of its activities. By this means the usual non-attending members would turn out more regularly, and the increased attendance would stimulate interest in the branch’s various discussions. Mr Hewitt was accorded a vote of thanks for his address. Annual Meeting It was decided that the annual meeting be held on the third Wednesday in April. Supper was provided by the members of the Women’s Division.